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LISBON -- Michael Blower is facing additional charges related to the March 3 shooting death of Rusty Steele, for aggravated murder and murder, with firearm specifications attached to both.
The Columbiana County Grand Jury issued the open indictment against Blower for the unclassified felony charges after meeting Friday morning in an extra session for the month.
Blower, 31, whose address on the indictment was listed as Newgarden Avenue, Salem, has remained in the county jail since his arrest the day after the shooting under a $1.5 million bond. He had originally been charged with murder in county Municipal Court.
The indictment alleged that Blower "did purposely, and with prior calculation and design, cause the death of another (Rusty J. Steele)," with the charge being aggravated murder. For the murder charge, the indictment said Blower "did purposely cause the death of another (Rusty J. Steele)."
Steele, 40, resided on Harvey Avenue, Lisbon at the time of his death.
County Prosecutor Vito Abruzzino said Blower could face a possible sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of the aggravated murder charge.
"We are still reviewing and investigating the events of that night and will be pursuing any and all charges that may flow from that investigation," Abruzzino said.
Referring to the indictment against Blower, Abruzzino said "this doesn't end our look into that evening."
At 10:32 p.m. March 3, Lisbon police officers were called for a shooting on West Spruce Street where they found Steele facedown in the street with a gunshot wound to the chest. He died at the scene and through their investigation, contact was made with Blower, who turned himself in March 4 and allegedly confessed to shooting Steele. An affidavit filed in the case against Blower said he and Steele had been arguing by phone all evening. Steele had children with Blower's wife. The night of the shooting, Steele was at his girlfriend's home on West Spruce Street, Lisbon.
According to Lisbon Police Chief Mike Abraham, officers "learned Mr. Steele was lured out of the house when someone knocked on the door and said their car broke down and wanted to know if he could give them a jump."
The victim did not know the person but went out to his own vehicle, a Cadillac SUV, and started it up. That's when he was allegedly approached by Blower, who shot him while he was still seated in the vehicle. The victim managed to exit the vehicle and fell in the street.
Christopher J. Mills, 42, Washington Street, Washingtonville, was identified as the driver who transported Blower to and from the scene. He was indicted by the grand jury earlier this month for obstructing justice, a third-degree felony.
The affidavit filed in the Mills case in county Municipal Court said, "Through the investigation, it was learned that Christopher Mills provided Blower with transportation to and from the murder scene and was aware that Blower had shot Steele when he provided the transportation. Mills later admitted to providing transportation to Blower. Video surveillance confirms that Mills was transporting Blower to the area of East Palestine an hour after the murder, while law enforcement was out looking for Blower. Christopher Mills never reported the crime or incident to law enforcement. Officers only learned of Mills' involvement through witnesses."
In talking about the arrest, Abraham accused Mills of not being truthful in some of what he was telling investigators.
Arraignments are tentatively scheduled for May 4.
mgreier@mojonews.com